According to the Arthritis Foundation, fibromyalgia is defined as a syndrome characterized by long-lasting widespread pain and tenderness at specific points on the body. The term “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Although not defining characteristics, sleep disturbances and fatigue are also integral symptoms of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia affects approximately 3-6 million people in the U.S., mostly women, according to lead author Tiffany Field, PhD, a researcher with the Touch Research Institutes in Miami.
Various studies geared to fibromyalgia patients concluded that many fibromyalgia symptoms — pain, stiffness, fatigue, depression — can be relieved with massage therapy. Now, researchers say they understand why. Massage alters the sleep pattern, which reduces levels of the chemical messenger for pain (substance P).
Previous studies have shown that exercise, stretching and relaxation therapy can also provide relief for people with fibromyalgia. In a five-week study, 20 adults with fibromyalgia received either massage therapy or relaxation therapy twice weekly. The massage was a combination of several types, all using moderate pressure. People in the other group went to progressive muscle relaxation sessions.
“Both groups showed a decrease in anxiety and depressed mood immediately after the first and last therapy sessions,” writes Field.
The big difference showed up in their sleep, she adds. Only the massage therapy group reported an increase in hours of sleep and a decrease in their sleep movements, as well as lower levels of the chemical messenger for pain or “substance P.”